beautiful thieves | ✓

seven

I change into the dress gifted by Chelsea, loving the way the burgundy material hugs my body in all the right places. It's nothing like one of Connie's pageant dresses, with all the sparkling rhinestones and miles of colourful fabric and silk. It shows more skin and is far more sophisticated. With the dark but not gothic makeup that has been done with practiced hands, I look at least a few years older. I know this look will take a while to get used to, but I'm willing to dress up and play thief as long as it keeps me away from my home. After receiving those messages from my mother, I know I can't go back there.

I slip on Maeve's leather jacket which was also gifted to me and sneak a final look in the mirror, loving my outfit but disliking the painful reminder of the slap I received underneath the steri-strips on my cheekbone. I look away and quickly leave what now has become my bedroom in search of the others, remembering how they said they'd be in the garages at seven pm. It's ten to and I soon realize I have no idea where I'm going.

Thankfully, as I leave my room, I am greeted by Jayden who leans against the wall by my door.

"Looking good, Aurora," he compliments as he notices me exit the room.

I fight the blush making it's way onto my face. "You don't look too bad yourself."

He's wearing a white shirt tucked into dark trousers and fitted, black blazer. I don't miss the Gucci belt holding up his bottoms and his cologne smells expensive.

The two of us start making our way down to the garages when a question comes to mind. "Jayden?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you guys dress all fancy before going to steal stuff?"

He chuckles as he fiddles with his cufflinks. "Well, if you think about it, who are you more likely to trust; the gang dressed in all black with masks that cover their faces and baseball bats and guns in their rucksacks, or a group of well-dressed people who look like they belong in a Prada store?"

"The well-dressed people, I guess."

"Exactly," he says. "It's one of the main reasons as to how we've never been caught. If you look and dress the part, no one will be watching you when you pick up something that costs more than five hundred pounds."

It makes sense. You have to be smart when part of a gang. If you make a big show of stealing things and terrorizing people, the police will be looking for you and none of these guys can risk going to jail. This gang is a group of street-wise, smart people who know what they're doing.

We soon get to the garages, where many sleek, expensive cars are sitting, and I notice Maeve, Blake, Colby and Zavier stood around one of them. All but Zavier are also dressed to the nines, clad in expensive brands and jewellery that I could imagine in the Kardashian's wardrobe. Maeve looks about five years older than she is and I have to admit that both Colby and Blake look incredibly attractive. I suck in a subtle, harsh breath as Blake takes a drag of his cigarette, his bad-boy appearance far too appealing to the eye.

"You guys ready?" Zavier asks us. We all nod and I push down my nerves. He turns to me. "Remember, Aurora, stay with Jayden at all times. Try not to look suspicious and just keep a low profile. Got it?"

I nod again. "Understood."

Then, he reaches into his back pocket and hands me two objects. A strap. And a gun.

"This is just a precaution," he tells me. "You'll be the only one with this and you must only use it if absolutely necessary. I know it sounds weird, but strap it to your thigh, under your dress. These things are easier to hide if you're a woman."